2014 Your vote counts more than ever —By Don Villwock IFB President
Voter turnout is expected to be low this year, which I think is a real shame. But the good news is that the votes of those who do participate count more than ever. When you think of how few votes will be cast on Nov. 4, you can see how just a handful of votes here and there could make a difference. Fewer than 1.8 million Hoosiers out of a possible 4.3 million voted in the 2010 mid-term election. This means that in rural counties, decisions were made by just a few thousand voters. Lower turnout in the midterms isn’t anything new, according to the Pew Research Center. Since the 1950s, the nationwide percentage of voter turnout in midterm
elections has ranged from the mid-30s to the upper 40s, compared to 50 percent or more in general elections. In 2008, 57.1 percent of the voting-age population cast ballots – “the highest level in four decades,” Pew said. Two years later only 36.9 percent voted in the midterm election, but in the 2012 presidential election, turnout rebounded to 53.7 percent. So in some ways, the drop in voter turnout is part of a regular pattern. But there’s one trend that breaks with the traditional pattern. Rural areas, which traditionally have voter turnout rates significantly higher than those of suburban and urban areas, have seen a major drop in voter participation. According to The Daily Yonder, an online publication from
the non-profit Center for Rural Strategies, nationally 57.9 percent of those over 18 voted in 2008. That dropped to 52.5 percent in 2012, just over a 9 percent decline. However, rural counties saw their voter turnout fall from 67.2 percent in 2008 to 54.9 percent in 2012. That’s an 18.3 percent decline – double the national rate. How to arrest the decline in rural voter turnout is a topic that’s too large for this column. But it highlights how important participation is, and how much the votes of Farm Bureau members, and farmers in particular, really matter. It is more critical than ever that we carefully evaluate candidates, the positions they stand for and the ideas
they propose. We have the responsibility to be educated voters. This special insert lists the candidates who have been endorsed by Indiana Farm Bureau ELECT, our organization’s political action committee. We hope you will find it useful as you make your decisions. Candidates seek endorsements from Farm Bureau eagerly because they consider these endorsements to be significant. They know that Farm Bureau members take seriously the responsibilities of citizenship and recognize that our endorsement represents a vote of confidence in their ability. Candidates also appreciate that the IFB endorsement procedure looks beyond party affiliation and focuses on the individual candidate. The endorsement
IFB board sets 2015 state legislative priorities Once the gavel falls at the annual delegation session, the Indiana Farm Bureau Board of Directors gets to work establishing the legislative priorities for the organization. In policy implementation, it is important to prioritize, especially when there are so many issues that our members care about. In the 2014 General Assembly, for example, IFB set five priorities but worked to pass and support more than 20 pieces of legislation.
For the 2015 Indiana General Assembly the board has set the following priorities: Property tax burden and farmland assessment – From 2007 to 2013, property taxes paid by farmers went up $100 million – a 33 percent increase. Farmers need significant and lasting property tax relief. As the state seeks ways to simplify tax policy, including business personal property and sales taxes, Farm Bureau will work to ensure ag interests are
protected. Annexation – Due to funding pressures on municipalities, forced annexation has become more common across the state. Farm Bureau believes farmers and rural residents should have more say in annexation proceedings and a process that does not require going to court. Indiana should provide landowners with options in dealing with annexations. Water resources – Farm Bureau supports the creation of a water
resource management plan to ensure longterm sustainability. Any plan should be based on local and regional considerations and maintain ag’s priority as a user of water. State budget – Farm Bureau will work to protect farmer and agriculture interests in the state budget. Of particular interest and focus will be funding for rural schools, funding for state and local roads and changes to state and local taxes.
process starts at the local level with a board of ELECT trustees that is made up of your fellow farmers, friends and neighbors, so it is truly a grassroots process. When it comes to politics, Indiana Farm Bureau is nonpartisan. Our goal is to surface and elect those candidates who support agriculture and reelect those who have demonstrated an alliance with our Farm Bureau policies, no matter what
party they may represent. Our Farm Bureau politics are simple: “We support those who support agriculture.” Once you’ve finished voting, your job is not done. Citizens need to remain involved. Good elected officials need your vote, but they also need to hear from you in order to keep them connected to the folks who elected them. I urge you to stay involved. And be sure to vote on Nov. 4.
How ELECT works In order to receive an endorsement, each candidate is reviewed by three separate ELECT bodies: a local ELECT board, the bipartisan state ELECT oversight committee and the Indiana Farm Bureau ELECT Board of Directors. Endorsement by IFB requires a positive recommendation by two of the three ELECT bodies. The process generally begins with the local ELECT board, which interviews candidates and makes recommendations to the state ELECT oversight committee. After reviewing a candidate’s record on ag issues, the board can either concur or disagree with the local committee. The final review is by the ELECT Board of Directors.
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ELECTion 2014
Farm Bureau ELECT announces endorsements for 2014 general election Indiana Farm Bureau ELECT, IFB’s political action committee, is supporting the congressional and General Assembly candidates listed here in the Nov. 4 general election. ELECT is funded through voluntary contributions from our individual members. No funds from Indiana Farm Bureau forprofit companies are used to support political candidates. Endorsement by ELECT is driven by a multi-part, grassroots process that requires a high threshold of support by each entity involved.
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Congressional District (Lake, LaPorte, Porter counties) Rep. Pete Visclosky
5th Congressional District (Blackford, Boone, Grant, Hamilton, Howard, Madison, Marion, Tipton counties) Rep. Susan Brooks
2nd Congressional District (Elkhart, Fulton, Kosciusko, LaPorte, Marshall, Miami, Pulaski, St. Joseph, Starke, Wabash counties) Rep. Jackie Walorski 4th Congressional District (Benton, Boone, Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Fountain, Hendricks, Howard, Jasper, Montgomery, Morgan, Newton, Putnam, Tippecanoe, Warren, White counties) Rep. Todd Rokita
6th Congressional District (Bartholomew, Dearborn, Decatur, Delaware, Fayette, Franklin, Hancock, Henry, Jefferson, Jennings, Ohio, Randolph, Ripley, Rush, Scott, Shelby, Switzerland, Union, Wayne counties) Rep. Luke Messer
8th Congressional District (Clay, Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Gibson, Greene, Knox, Martin, Owen, Parke, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Sullivan, Vanderburgh, Vermillion, Vigo, Warrick counties) Rep. Larry Bucshon 9th Congressional District (Brown, Clark, Crawford, Floyd, Harrison, Jackson, Johnson, Lawrence, Monroe, Morgan, Orange, Scott, Washington counties) Rep. Todd Young
INDIANA SENATE District 6 (Benton, Lake, Newton counties) Rick Niemeyer
District 19 (Adams, Blackford, Grant, Huntington, Jay, Wells counties) Sen. Travis Holdman
District 11 (Elkhart, St. Joseph counties) Sen. Joe Zakas
District 21 (Clinton, Grant, Hamilton, Howard, Tipton counties) Sen. James Buck
District 14 (Allen, DeKalb counties) Sen. Dennis Kruse District 15 (Allen County) Liz Brown District 17 (Grant, Huntington, Wabash, Whitley counties) Sen. Jim Banks
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District 22 (Tippecanoe County) Sen. Ron Alting District 23 (Boone, Fountain, Montgomery, Parke, Vermillion, Warren counties) Sen. Philip Boots District 26 (Delaware, Henry, Madison counties) Sen. Doug Eckerty
District 27 (Dearborn, Fayette, Franklin, Randolph, Union, Wayne counties) Jeff Raatz
District 45 (Clark, Jackson, Jefferson, Scott, Switzerland, Washington counties) Sen. Jim Smith
District 31 (Hamilton, Marion counties) Sen. James Merritt
District 46 (Clark, Floyd counties) Sen. Ron Grooms
District 41 (Bartholomew, Johnson counties) Sen. Greggory Walker
District 47 (Crawford, Dubois, Harrison, Orange, Perry, Washington counties) Sen. Richard Young
District 43 (Bartholomew, Dearborn, Decatur, Jackson, Jennings, Ohio, Ripley counties) Chip Perfect
District 48 (Dubois, Gibson, Knox, Pike Spencer, Warrick counties) Mark Messmer District 49 (Gibson, Posey, Vanderburgh counties) Sen. Jim Tomes
ELECTion 2014
INDIANA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES District 4 (Porter County) Rep. Ed Soliday
District 26 (Tippecanoe County) Rep. Randy Truitt
District 7 (St. Joseph County) Rep. David Niezgodski
District 28 (Boone, Hendricks counties) Rep. Jeffrey Thompson
District 9 (LaPorte, Porter counties) Rep. Scott Pelath
District 31 (Blackford, Delaware, Grant, Wells counties) Rep. Kevin Mehan
District 10 (Porter County) Maj. John Johnston District 11 (Lake, Porter counties) Mike Aylesworth District 12 (Lake County) Rep. Mara Candelaria Reardon District 13 (Benton, Fountain, Jasper, Montgomery, Newton, Tippecanoe, Warren, White) Rep. Sharon Negele District 15 (Lake County) Rep. Hal Slager District 16 (Fulton, Jasper, Newton Pulaski, Starke counties) Rep. Douglas Gutwein District 17 (Fulton, Marshall counties) Rep. Timothy Harman District 18 (Grant, Kosciusko, Miami, Wabash counties) Rep. David Wolkins District 20 (LaPorte, Starke counties) Rep. Tom Dermody District 21 (Elkhart, St. Joseph counties) Rep. Timothy Wesco District 23 (Cass, Fulton, Miami counties) Rep. William Friend District 25 (Carroll, Cass, Clinton, White, Tippecanoe counties) Rep. Donald Lehe
District 32 (Delaware, Grant, Hamilton, Howard, Madison, Tipton counties) Rep. Eric Turner District 33 (Blackford, Delaware, Jay, Randolph counties) Rep. Greg Beumer District 36 (Madison County) Rep. Terri Jo Austin District 38 (Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Howard counties) Rep. Heath VanNatter District 39 (Hamilton County) Rep. Jerry Torr District 40 (Hendricks County) Rep. Gregory Steuerwald District 41 (Boone, Montgomery, Tippecanoe counties) Rep. Tim Brown District 42 (Clay, Fountain, Parke, Vermillion, Vigo, Warren counties) Rep. Alan Morrison District 44 (Clay, Morgan, Owen, Parke, Putnam counties) Rep. Jim Baird District 46 (Clay, Monroe, Owen, Vigo counties) Rep. Bob Heaton District 51 (LaGrange, Steuben counties) Rep. Dennis Zent
District 52 (Allen, DeKalb, Steuben counties) Rep. Ben Smaltz District 53 (Hancock, Madison counties) Rep. Robert Cherry District 56 (Wayne County) Rep. Dick Hamm District 57 (Bartholomew, Hancock, Shelby counties) Rep. Sean Eberhart District 58 (Johnson County) Rep. Woody Burton District 59 (Bartholomew County) Rep. Milo Smith District 60 (Monroe, Morgan counties) Rep. Peggy Mayfield District 62 (Daviess, Greene, Martin, Monroe counties) Rep. Matt Ubelhor
District 71 (Clark County) Rep. Steven Stemler District 72 (Floyd County) Rep. Edward Clere District 73 (Clark, Harrison, Jackson, Lawrence, Orange, Washington counties) Rep. Steve Davisson District 74 (Crawford, Dubois, Orange, Perry, Spencer counties) Rep. Lloyd Arnold District 75 (Pike, Spencer, Warrick counties) Rep. Ron Bacon District 76 (Posey, Vanderburgh counties) Rep. Wendy McNamara District 77 (Vanderburgh County) Rep. Gail Riecken District 79 (Adams, Allen, Wells counties) Rep. Matthew Lehman
District 63 (Daviess, Dubois, Martin, Pike counties) Mike Braun
District 82 (Allen, Elkhart, LaGrange, Noble, Whitley counties) Rep. David Ober
District 64 (Gibson, Knox, Pike, Posey, Vanderburgh counties) Rep. Thomas Washburne
District 85 (Allen County) Casey Cox
District 65 (Brown, Jackson, Lawrence, Johnson, Monroe counties) Rep. Eric Koch District 66 (Clark, Jefferson, Scott counties) Rep. Terry Goodin District 67 (Dearborn, Decatur, Jefferson, Jennings, Ohio, Ripley, Switzerland counties) Rep. Randy Frye District 70 (Clark, Floyd, Harrison counties) Rep. Rhonda Rhoads
District 88 (Hamilton, Hancock, Marion counties) Rep. Brian Bosma District 89 (Marion County) Rep. Cindy Kirchhofer District 94 (Marion County) Rep. Cherrish Pryor District 96 (Marion County) Rep. Gregory Porter
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Three statewide offices to be on the November ballot State Treasurer
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Secretary of State
State Auditor
Mike Boland (D)
Connie Lawson (R)
Mike Claytor (D)
Mike Boland, a 30-year educator in both high school and college, moved to Indiana in 2012 after serving in the Illinois General Assembly for 16 years. In the Illinois House, Boland served as the chairman of the House Elections & Campaign Reform Committee; chair of the House Financial Institutions Committee, where he led the effort to hold entities more accountable; and chair of the House Higher Education Committee. Among his accomplishments was helping to pass the Illinois Veterans Lottery Ticket and the Military Families Relief Act, which has been copied by 31 other states. Other offices include an appointment to the East Moline Library Board and election to the United Township School Board and Black Hawk College Board of Trustees. He also helped found C.U.B. (Citizen Utility Board) the largest consumer group in the country, and was elected to the board and served for 10 years. Raised in a family of seven, Boland put himself through college, earning a master’s degree. He and his wife, Mary, have been married for 45 years. They have two daughters and two grandchildren. Sources: www.bolandforindiana.org/ and (on Facebook): Mike Boland for Indiana State Treasurer.
Connie Lawson is Indiana’s 61st secretary of state. Her office oversees four divisions: elections, business services, auto dealer services and securities. Prior to her appointment as secretary of state, Lawson served in the Indiana Senate for 16 years, chairing the Senate Elections Committee, and served as Hendricks County Clerk for eight years. Lawson was recognized for her work in 2012 with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Mental Health Awareness of Indiana. She was the first woman to serve as majority floor leader in the Indiana Senate. During the 2013 session, Connie worked with the Indiana General Assembly to pass election reforms that increased transparency and accountability in the election process. Connie continues to serve as a precinct committeeman in Hendricks County, a post she has held for more than 25 years. She served as vice chair of the Hendricks County Republican Party for 12 years and in 2001 received the party’s “Ronald Reagan Legacy Award.” Connie and her husband, Jack, live in Danville and have two children and six grandchildren. Source: voteconnielawson.com/
Mike Claytor began his career 40 years ago at the Indiana State Board of Accounts, rising to the position of deputy state examiner. In that position, he worked on several white-collar crime investigations and helped ensure integrity in Indiana government. In 1989 Claytor went to work at a Crowe Chizek (now Crowe Horwath), a top-10 CPA firm founded in South Bend. He became partner three years later. A graduate of Ball State University, he became a licensed CPA in Indiana 1979, and in 1983 he received a Juris Doctorate (cum laude) from Indiana University-Indianapolis School of Law. He has also served as a member of the Local Government Finance Study Commission and as financial adviser to the Indiana Finance Authority and the Indiana Bond Bank. A native of Hartford City, he and his wife, Debbie, live in Carmel and have three children: William, Joshua and Whitney. He is a member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, and he has volunteered with the Crossroads of America Council, Boy Scouts of America, for more than 20 years. Sources: www.bolandforindiana.org/ and (on Facebook) Mike Boland for Indiana State Treasurer.
Kelly Mitchell (R)
Beth White (D)
Kelly Mitchell served as the director of TrustINdiana, a department within the Office of the State Treasurer, for six years. In that position, she managed more than $500 million in public funds. Prior to joining the state treasurer’s office, she served two terms as Cass County commissioner. She was the first female ever to be elected commissioner in Cass County, serving as president of the board for five years. While commissioner, she served seven years on the Logansport-Cass County Economic Development Foundation, one of those years as president of the foundation. During her years in Cass County, Mitchell was involved in the local Republican Party and served as the president of the Cass County Republican Women’s Club. She currently lives in Indianapolis with her husband, Larry. She has two college-aged children, Chloe and Colin. She and her husband are involved in Common Ground Christian Church in Indianapolis. Mitchell holds a bachelor’s political science from Valparaiso University and a master’s philanthropic studies from IUPUI-Indianapolis. She is an alumna of the Richard G. Lugar Excellence in Public Service Series. Source: www.votekellymitchell.com/
Now serving her second term in office, Marion County Clerk, Beth White is the chief fiscal agent and record keeper for the courts in Indiana’s largest county and the secretary of the local election board. As the chief election official for the 13th largest city in America, White expanded early voting opportunities and lobbied the legislature to remove barriers to voting. She also created yVote!, a voter education program for high schools to encourage participation in elections. Prior to elected office, White worked for then-Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson and was part of the O’Bannon administration. Previously she worked as a litigator in private practice and as a deputy prosecutor. A Bloomington native, White is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Indiana University-Bloomington. She received her law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center. She is an associate professor at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IUPUI and currently serves on the board of the Indianapolis Public Schools Foundation. An active member of Central Christian Church, she resides in Indianapolis with her husband, Neil Marcus, and their young son. Source: www.bethwhite.org/
Suzanne Crouch (R) Before being appointed state auditor earlier this year, Suzanne Crouch represented House District 78, which encompasses parts of Vanderburgh and Warrick counties. She was elected to the seat in 2005. As state auditor, Crouch has implemented changes in Indiana’s transparency portal that provide more information to taxpayers about how tax dollars are spent. While in the House, Crouch was co-author of Major Moves, which funded road projects across the state such as the future completion of I-69 from Evansville to Indianapolis. In 2012 she voted to repeal the Indiana Inheritance Tax. Prior to serving in the Indiana House, Crouch spent eight years as auditor of Vanderburgh County. Crouch then went on to serve as a Vanderburgh County commissioner. She also spent four years as chairman of the Vanderburgh County Republican Party. Crouch received her bachelor’s degree from Purdue University, majoring in political science. She also took post graduate courses in accounting from the University of Southern Indiana. Crouch has been married 35 years to her husband, Larry Downs. They have one grown daughter. Crouch attends St. John’s Daylight Catholic Church. Sources: suzannecrouch.com/ and (on Facebook) Suzanne Crouch.
From Pork to Grapes Page 5
IFB’s Special Election Insert Pages I-IV
INSIDE: News in Brief................ 2 Rules & Regs................ 3 State & Nation.............. 4 Around Farm Bureau.... 6 Ag Industry News......... 7
The Hoosier Farmer
®
A Publication for Voting Members of Indiana Farm Bureau
OCTOBER 6, 2014 Issue No. 58
Now is the time to comment on WOTUS proposal —By Kathleen M. Dutro Public Relations Team Comments on the “Waters of the U.S.” rule proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers are due Oct. 20 – and more farmers and other affected people need to comment, said Justin Schneider, Indiana Farm Bureau senior policy advisor and counsel. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, the proposed rule would give EPA broad Clean Water Act jurisdiction over dry- land features and farming practices long declared off-limits by Congress and the U.S. Supreme Court. “If you are a farmer, homeowner, developer, business owner or local elected official, now is the time to submit comments to EPA and the Corps challenging their expanded definition of ‘waters of the U.S.,’” IFB President Don Villwock
wrote in a letter to the editor sent statewide in late September. The easiest way to take action, Schneider said, is by visiting IFB’s public policy website, www.ifbtakeaction. org. As of mid-September, more than 300 individuals had used the website to send emails, and approximately 60 more letters were to be delivered by mail. In addition, around 20 county Farm Bureaus have submitted comments to EPA and several have expressed concerns to Congress, Schneider explained. “My hunch is that a lot more individuals and counties have taken action but it has not been reported to us,” he said. “It is important that you let us know what you have done. If you submit comments or letters through our take-action site, we can easily track it so that we can relay total counts to Congress, agencies and other key allies.”
The “Take Action” website makes it easy to submit comments. Available are sample individual comments on the rule, letters to Congress and sample comments that county Farm Bureaus can use. The U.S. House has passed HR 5078, which would keep EPA and the Corps from finalizing the rule and require them to work with the states before moving another version of the rule. The legislation has yet to be taken up by the Senate. Therefore, Schneider explained, another way farmers and county Farm Bureaus can help is to contact Sens. Dan Coats and Joe Donnelly and ask them to urge the leadership to move the legislation in the Senate. You can take action through IFB’s website at www.ifbtakeaction.org/actionalerts.aspx, he said. If the rule goes into effect in its current form, the consequences will be far-
reaching in every possible way, Villwock wrote in his September letter to the editor.
“If adopted, this rule will affect your livelihood forever,” Villwock said.
On Sept. 20 more than 25 Farm Bureau members spent the day clearing out the barn and reconstructing the haymow at Keith and Priscilla Schuman’s farm in Whitley County. Keith is rehabilitating after suffering a stroke last fall. Tractors and Bobcats came in handy, but much of the work was done the old fashioned way – pick it up and move it out. For more, see page 8. Photo by Andy Dietrick
Responding to postcard survey will help IFB with tax reform effort —By Katrina Hall IFB Director of State Government Relations Along with the many items of interest and photos contained in this issue, members will find two extremely valuable tools. These tools will be useful in the coming weeks and months, so please don’t pitch this issue. The first and most obvious is the election insert that lists all the candidates endorsed this year by Indiana Farm Bureau ELECT. These Indiana Farm Bureau P.O. Box 1290 Indianapolis, IN 46206
endorsements were based on their record of service to or potential to serve Indiana farmers and the agricultural sector. Please take time from a bountiful harvest to support these candidates. Second and equally important, in this issue is a simple self-addressed, postage-paid postcard that asks farmer members to provide Indiana Farm Bureau with their most recent property tax information. Since most members will be preparing to write checks to Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage
PAID
Berne, IN Permit NO. 43
the county treasurers before the Nov. 10 payment deadline, this information should be available without leaving home. The card asks for tax information on rented land because escalating property taxes are affecting parties on both sides of that relationship in very real ways. What is the point of this exercise? We do want to show the volume of frustration farmers are facing with taxes that are too high. But this information will also be ready when you are asking legislators to support farmland tax relief. Indiana Farm Bureau’s lobbying team will be using it to give real-life examples of the level of property tax paid by each farming operation – whether the land is owned or rented. These examples will illustrate the heavy burden that has materialized over the last few years when other taxpayers have seen
their bills reduced or remain stable. This postcard will be used by Indiana Farm Bureau only to emphasize the burden property taxes are becoming for farmers across the state. We all know that farmland taxes have risen dramatically since the tax reforms of 2007 – as much as 33 percent statewide. But legislators don’t realize how much that is affecting farming families who are facing very low prices for this fall’s crop. Legislators need to hear a relatable story about property taxes. They must also realize that estimates of the taxable value of farmland through 2017, regardless of the soil productivity issue, show alarming increases in the base value which will translate into escalating farmland tax bills – unless the General Assembly intervenes.
The support of both the Indiana House of Representatives and Indiana Senate is critical to making sure that the profitability of agriculture is not completely eroded by the farmland tax burden. IFB is gearing up internally for a big push with the legislature – farmland tax relief is always a big ask. So please submit your postcard and please say ‘yes’ if you’re asked to come to the Statehouse during the legislative session or attend a local gathering of legislators. Finally, nothing beats seeing the real thing. Invite legislators and candidates to view harvest activities and relate the tax story in a farm setting. It is effective to show decision makers how hard farmers are working and how modern agriculture is actually done, including all the technology being used.
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NEWS IN BRIEF
News Bites —Compiled by Kathleen M. Dutro Public Relations Team
New resource helps ‘start the conversation’ on animal agriculture—
“Start the Conversation: Let’s Talk About Animal Agriculture” is the first in a new series of resources the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture is launching to foster discussion on questions consumers have about food production and agriculture. Modeled after quickreference subject-area cards found in bookstores, the single-page, front and back laminated cards feature questions, answers and suggested strategies for meaningful discussion. “Our goal is to help connect consumers with the men and women who produce their food, fiber and fuel – while giving them an
opportunity to confidently discuss issues most important to them,” said Julie Tesch, executive director of the foundation. The cards feature “farmer spotlights,” with real answers to important questions such as “Can animals be raised without antibiotics?” and “How are decisions
made about animal care?” “Start the Conversation” cards may be used to: • Facilitate discussions about fact, fiction and the science of agriculture in middle- and high-school classrooms. • Open discussions about food and farming at fairs and festivals. • Equip farmers and ranchers with science-based messages related to common consumer questions. Order “Start the Conversation: Let’s Talk About Animal Agriculture” cards online at agfoundation.org (click on “Resource Orders”). (AFBF 9/24/14)
AFT conference slated for Kentucky—
American Farmland Trust is holding a national conference with the theme “Farmland, Food and Livable Communities” on Oct. 2022 in Lexington, Ky. More than 70 keynote speakers and workshop presenters will gather to discuss protecting farmland, promoting sound stewardship and keeping farmers on the land. Those interested can register for a single day or all three days of the conference. You can find a link to more information on the conference, including conference fees, on the first page of AFT’s website, www. farmland.org/. The focus, according to AFT, will be the challenges faced by American agriculture in the 21st Century. How should we take care of the farmland we have? Will we have enough farmland to support the food and fiber needs of our increasing population?
FAA lets Hollywood use drones—
The Federal Aviation Administration is now allowing some filmmakers to operate robotic flying cameras on commercial movie and TV sets. The decision announced Sept. 25 marks the first time the agency has granted a commercial entity an exemption from the rules that prohibit drones from flying in U.S. airspace without a special certificate. The civil drone industry has been pressuring the FAA to relax that ban and to develop new regulations designed to safely integrate unmanned vehicles into the nation’s air traffic system. The FAA is now saying that making movies, TV shows or ads with drones, or anything else you might do on a closed production set, is legal – so long as you can prove it’s safe. (AFBF 9/26/14)
White House issues executive order on antibiotics—The
White House on Sept. 18 issued an executive order on combatting antibioticresistant bacteria. The order instructs the Food and Drug Administration to continue its work to “eliminate the use of medically important classes of antibiotics for growth promotion purposes in food-producing animals,” according to an article from AgriPulse (http://agri-pulse. com). A task force co-chaired by the secretaries of Defense, Agriculture and Health and Human Services has been charged with developing new regulations and submitting a 5-year action plan for implementation. American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman urged those working on the new antibiotics strategy to continue a dialogue with farmers and ranchers. (AFBF 9/19/14)
(AFT 8/6/14)
NASDA says ‘withdraw’ to EPA’s ‘Waters of the U.S.’ rule—At the annual meet-
ing of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture held last month, members unanimously called on the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to withdraw the proposed “Waters of the U.S.” rule. The action item, submitted by North Dakota Commissioner of Agriculture Doug Goehring, also urges EPA and the Corps to collaborate with state departments of agriculture and other stakeholders on the appropriate scope of federal Clean Water Act jurisdiction. “As it stands, this proposed rule dramatically expands EPA’s jurisdiction and creates too much uncertainty for our farmers and ranchers. This rule must be withdrawn,” said NASDA CEO Dr. Barbara Glenn. “It is critical that the agencies engage state regulators and stakeholders to work together to find a path forward before the agencies move towards implementation or further rulemaking.” NASDA previously submitted comments expressing concerns about the highly controversial Interpretive Rule for Agricultural Conservation Practices. (NASDA
9/12/14)
Farm bill implementation tool released—Oklahoma State
University and Kansas State University have released a downloadable tool to help farmers decide on the best option for participation in the 2014 farm bill commodity program. The Farm Service Agency has not announced when it will start accepting enrollments, but the new tool will allow farmers to evaluate the program and start thinking
Administrative/Finance Team
Legal Affairs Team
Public Relations Team
Regional Managers
President...................................... Don Villwock Vice President.................................Randy Kron Second Vice President................. Isabella Chism Chief Operating Officer/Treasurer....Mark Sigler Receptionist...................................... Kim Duke General Fund Accountant.............. Tiffanie Ellis Office Manager & Meeting Planner.Kay Keown Controller.......................................Elaine Rueff Administrative Assistant....................Jill Shanley Executive Secretary..................... Beverly Thorpe
Director & General Counsel ...Mark Thornburg Associate Counsel for Corporate Compliance & Nonprofit Affairs ............Sara MacLaughlin Legal Assistant........................... Maria Spellman
Director & Editor .......................Andy Dietrick Web Designer/Developer..............Diane Brewer Publications Managing Editor & Media Relations Specialist...... Kathleen Dutro Marketing & PR Specialist.............. Mindy Reef Communications Assistant......... Rachel Schrage
Wayne Belden (1 & 3) Greg Bohlander (6) Andrew Cleveland (4 & 6) Janice Deno (3) Jennifer Chandler Gish (9) Seth Harden (7 & 9) Allison Hines (10) Amy Hutson (5) Susan Lawrence (2) John Newsom (1 & 2) Kermit Paris (8) Keegan Poe (5 & 8) Brad Ponsler (10) E.B. Rawles (7) Allie Rieth (4)
District Directors Larry Jernas (1) Kevin Ousley (2) Kevin Underwood (3) Steve Maple (4) Dave Wyeth (5)
Scott Trennepohl (6) Jeff Gormong (7) Mark Bacon (8) Philip Springstun (9) Robert Schickel (10)
Indiana Agricultural Law Foundation
Public Policy Team Director........................................ Megan Ritter Policy Development & Industry Relations.........................Bob Cherry National Government Relations Policy Advisor................. Kyle Cline Policy Advisor & Counsel..............Amy Cornell State Government Relations Director...................................... Katrina Hall Administrative Assistant .............Wanda Hunter Administrative Assistant ................Diane Miller Senior Policy Advisor & Counsel..................................Justin Schneider Livestock Development Specialist... Greg Slipher Direct Retail Business Specialist........Bob White
Organizational Development Team Director............................................... Kim Vail Program Assistant........................ Ashley Beasley Field Services Program Director.....Chris Fenner Young Farmer & Women’s Program Coordinator................ Meggie Foster Collegiate Farm Bureau Coordinator................................ Seth Harden Program Assistant.......................Kathryn Rogers Education Coordinator.................... Julie Taylor Member Services Coordinator...........Anna Todd Program Assistant............................ Tracie Trent
Indiana Farm Bureau Inc./ Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance Director of Affiliate Relations.................. Julie Klarich
about options. The program requires Excel to run. It may not run on some older versions of Excel, so users may need to update their version of Excel. The program covers all states and counties. Once downloaded, there is no further need to be online. The OSU-KSU tool can be found here: www.agmanager.info/fb.htm. (AFBF 9/25/14)
World food prices drop to 4-year low—
World food prices fell for the fifth consecutive month in August, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization said, reaching the lowest point since 2010. The decrease was pushed by stronger-than-expected grain and cereal crops. Grains and cereals are the biggest component in FAO’s World Food Price Index, which is based on a basket of 55 goods and 73 price quotations in five major food commodity groups. The overall index was 3.6 percent lower than in July, at 196.6 points. It’s the lowest level for the general index since September 2010. The grains and cereals part of the index dropped 1.5 percent compared to July and is now 11.7 percent lower than in 2013. Wheat and corn prices pushed the index lower, though rice prices actually inched higher based on rising demand, lowerthan-expected releases from stockpiles in Thailand, and poor weather conditions in parts of Asia. According to the FAO, grain stockpiles worldwide are now approaching the highest levels in 15 years, pointing to more price weakness in this category. (AFBF 9/12/14)
Address Letters & Questions To: Indiana Farm Bureau Inc. Box 1290, Indianapolis, IN 46206-1290. Phone: 1-800-327-6287 or (317) 692-7776 E-Mail Address: askus@infarmbureau.org Duplicate Magazines If you are receiving more than one copy of The Hoosier Farmer®, please cut out both labels and return them to the address above. Magazine Design and Layout Davis Graphic Design www.davisgraphics.com The Hoosier Farmer® is published 14 times per year by Indiana Farm Bureau Inc., P.O. Box 1290, Indianapolis, IN 46206, and is furnished as a service to voting members and others. Controlled circulation. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Hoosier Farmer® P.O. Box 1290 Indianapolis, IN 46206-1290. Copyright 2014. All rights reserved.
Director..................... John Shoup
October 6, 2014
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3
RULES & REGS
Allen County farmers active in referendum —By Megan Ritter Public Policy Team At the end of the state legislative session, farmers in Allen County knew they would be called upon to be involved in a referendum for a “single county executive” or SCE. It was something that Farm Bureau opposed in the statehouse and that local farmers had taken an active role in opposing themselves. The farmers were hoping to avoid this political fight, but they have stepped to the plate to inform voters on what the SCE plan will mean for residents and why they should vote no on Nov. 4. Allen County Farm Bureau, farmers and other interested residents are working together through an organization called Allen County No to One to oppose the SCE referendum. These local residents have identified several issues with the proposal that have led them in their opposition. Right now, Allen County residents vote for 7 of the 10 elected members of the county council and county commission. Under this proposal, voters would only cast 2 votes – one for a council representative and one for the SCE. Allen County residents would therefore lose representation under this plan. This plan also puts too
much power in the hands of a single person by creating the single county executive position. Different views won’t be heard and the checks and balances of the current system will be lost. There is a good reason for open debate and discussion over issues that will impact the county. Finally, the plan is full of too many questions and not enough answers. There is still uncertainty about how the new county council districts will be drawn, and farmers and residents of Allen County just aren’t comfortable with the idea that they should pass this and allow the details to be worked out later. Roger Hadley, Allen County Farm Bureau president, recalled a statement from a board discussion on how the Farm Bureau should get involved. “Something that really stands out to me is when a board member commented that ‘this is the reason Farm Bureau exists and why farmers belong.’ If we don’t act and take this on now, then what will we act on for our members?” he said. The campaign has taken significant time, effort and resources and they will be working hard right up until Election Day. Allen County Farm Bureau should be proud of its efforts.
NACD concerned with WOTUS rule —From the National Association Conservation Districts
of
National Association of Conservation Districts leadership met with representatives of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to express concerns regarding the proposed “Waters of the U.S.” rule. Representatives of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers were unable to attend due to a scheduling conflict. “We strongly believe that the best the way to accomplish the goal of clean water is through a voluntary, incentive-based approach,” said NACD President Earl Garbe. NACD stressed a number of key requests during the Sept. 25 meeting. First, NACD leadership noted that the association’s policy does not support any increase in jurisdiction. NACD requested that EPA take additional time in drafting the rule in order to incorporate more input from
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conservation districts, local officials, landowners and land-users. “We are concerned that the rule’s terms and definitions do not appropriately reflect the landowners’ natural resource and operational diversity across the country and could possibly have unintended consequences on districts’ ability to effectively work with landowners to implement voluntary conservation efforts at the local level,” noted NACD President-elect Lee McDaniel. NACD also asked that EPA articulate the expected outcome of the rule. “Representatives of the EPA clearly recognized the benefits of local districts utilizing the 319 program to get conservation on the ground, resulting in improved water quality in America,” said NACD Second Vice President Brent Van Dyke. NACD plans to submit formal comments on the proposed rule by the deadline.
Downtown Fort Wayne’s skyline, including the Allen County Courthouse. ©iStock/Davel5957
Facing likely defeat, EPA abandons key farm case in West Virginia —From the AFBF Public Relations Team The EPA’s decision not to appeal a key federal ruling in favor of West Virginia farmer Lois Alt highlights the cynicism that drives the agency’s water agenda, the American Farm Bureau said in a Sept. 22 statement. The U.S. Court for the Northern District of West Virginia ruled against EPA and in favor of farmer Lois Alt in October 2013. The court rejected EPA’s contention that the Clean Water Act regulates ordinary stormwater runoff from the farmyard (nonproduction areas) at large livestock or poultry farms. Since no federal court had ever addressed the question of stormwater runoff from farms such as Alt’s, the lower court’s ruling carries implications for tens of thousands of poultry and livestock farms nationwide. An appellate court decision upholding that ruling would make it even harder for EPA to persist in imposing widescale federal permitting requirements on large animal farms. EPA’s voluntary dismissal of its appeal signals the agency’s desire to avoid a likely loss in the appellate court. The appeal could still go forward if any of the five environmental groups that intervened in support of EPA decide to go forward without the government. “EPA knows its effort to regulate perfectly well-run farms cannot withstand legal scrutiny, and the agency doesn’t quite know how to deal with that,” AFBF President Bob Stallman said. Both
AFBF and the West Virginia Farm Bureau joined the suit on the side of Alt. “Apparently, the agency would rather move on and continue pursuing its regulatory agenda farm-to-farm, but not defend it in court.” EPA laid out its logic in a late-Friday blog posting, evidently trying to bury the news after most journalists had stopped reporting for the day. EPA’s blog explained the agency simply decided “to stop spending resources on litigation about this CAFO … A smart and strategic enforcement program requires us to make choices about where to spend our time for the biggest benefit to the public. We stand firm on this commitment to protect public health and the environment.” The withdrawal, they wrote, “does not change either the law across the country or EPA’s commitment to protecting water quality.” “By dropping its appeal, EPA presumably hopes to avoid a loss in the appellate court,” said AFBF General Counsel Ellen Steen. “EPA appears to be saying it will continue to enforce its position against other farmers, even though it’s not willing to defend that position in court.” “Lois Alt should be proud of her environmental stewardship and her courage in standing up to EPA,” Stallman added. “She won an important court victory that will benefit many others, and we are proud to have supported her efforts.” Background on Alt vs. EPA EPA’s dispute with Alt
began when the agency issued an order threatening her with $37,500 in fines per day unless she applied for a Clean Water Act permit for stormwater runoff from her farmyard. EPA cited no deficiencies in Alt’s farming practices but contended that stormwater containing even miniscule amounts of manure triggered Clean Water Act liability and permitting obligations. Alt responded with a lawsuit challenging the EPA order. Her complaint cited the long-standing Clean Water Act exemption of “agricultural stormwater discharges.” AFBF and West Virginia Farm Bureau joined the suit on the side of Alt, and five environmental groups joined on the side of EPA. All parties focused on the broader implications of the lawsuit for farmers nationwide. EPA first attempted to back away from the fight about six months after Alt filed suit and just weeks before briefing was to begin. The agency withdrew its order and asked the court to dismiss the suit. The court refused, finding that EPA had not changed its legal position and that the Farm Bureau groups had an ongoing interest in resolving the validity of that position for the benefit of other farmers. Forced to fight, EPA and its allies came out guns blazing, filing more than 500 pages arguing for Clean Water Act regulation of ordinary stormwater from any part of a perfectly well-run livestock or poultry farm. The court roundly rejected those arguments.
October 6, 2014
4
STATE AND NATION
FB in DC Time for Action
Photos by Mindy Reef
IFB’s 2014 Leaders in Action group traveled to Washington, D.C., to put the skills they acquired during the program to use. Right, Alan Duttlinger (at podium) shares his position on a fictional bill on free lunches for taxpayers. Below right, Indiana 2nd District Congresswoman Jackie Walorski speaks to part of the group. Below left, LiA participants presented the Friend of Farm Bureau award to Sens. Dan Coats and Joe Donnelly. More information on the Friend of Farm Bureau award is available at www.thehoosierfarmer.com or in the Sept. 15 issue of The Hoosier Farmer. This year’s LiA group included Kate Keefer, Allen County; John Horazy, Boone County; Barton Cooper, Crawford County; Nick and Julie Wenning, Decatur County; Todd Wottring, Fulton County; Samantha Lowe, Hamilton County; Allie Rieth, Hamilton County; Kristin Flora, Hendricks County; Josh Crabb, Kosciusko County; Katie Darr, Kosciusko County; John Childs, Marshall County; Herman and Mary Stutzman, Marshall County; Jeremy Barron, Noble County; Alan Duttlinger, Tippecanoe County; Christy Penner, Wabash County; and Daniel Stauffer, Wabash County. Information is available for the next Leaders in Action program at www.infarmbureau.org/lia.
Indiana Farm Bureau student members visit nation’s capital —By Seth Harden IFB Regional Manager A trip to Washington, D.C., to advocate for Indiana agriculture and to discuss important topics with our members of Congress is always a fulfilling experience. This experience can be enhanced by the enthusiasm and drive of student leaders who are members of our collegiate Farm Bureau chapters. Indiana Farm Bureau annually sponsors a trip for 10 students to experience the pace, depth and uniqueness of American democracy first hand. This year’s trip took place Sept. 10-12. The experience was expanded this year to include two nights and nearly three days from what was formerly a 30-hour visit. This allowed the students to have more time and an expanded variety of opportunities. Highlights of the trip include the “lockup” for the USDA’s September “Crop Production Report,” visits with both Indiana senators, tours of the American Farm Bureau Federation headquarters, networking with young professionals, and a behindthe-scenes tour of the American History Museum. The lockup, a term that refers to the special security conditions under which market-sensitive reports are compiled and issued, is a unique experience that includes very tight
October 6, 2014
Members of IFB’s collegiate chapter at Purdue pose with Sen. Joe Donnelly. From left: Travis Olinske, Ethan Stevenson, Sam Ebenkamp, Zach Frazier, Cameron Mann, Jacquelyn Hackman, Sen. Donnelly, Joan Jordan, Brent Budreau, Micah Matlock and IFB regional manager Seth Harden.
security, explanations of the complex inner workings of the National Agriculture Statistics Service and briefings to the chief economist of the USDA. Reports are given on domestic crop estimates and international ag trade. Visits to the offices of both Sen. Joe Donnelly and Sen. Dan Coats generated great discussion and a chance for the students to interact with their senators directly. Staff members answered questions regarding their daily tasks working for a senator. Students were able to network
with young professionals including staff from AFBF and the Senate Ag Committee on two separate occasions. Thursday evening’s networking dinner was held at Old Ebbitt Grill and Friday featured a box-lunch discussion with several AFBF staff members. Discussion of student opportunities including internships, full-time positions and ways to get involved in the legislative process resulted in an impressive exchange of business cards and contact information. The trip concluded on Friday afternoon, but not before students were given the rare opportunity of a
special visit to the American History Museum, part of the Smithsonian Institute. Past Purdue employee Geni Greiner, who now is the director of programming and stewardship for the Smithsonian, gave the students a personalized and behind-the-scenes tour of the museum. The application and selection process for this trip occurs each spring and is open to all paid student members of IFB’s collegiate chapters. To learn more and find out about next year’s trip, contact me at sharden@ infb.org.
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5
AROUND THE FARM
From Pork to Grapes After getting out of the hog business, Cayuga farmer turns to wine grapes —By Taylor Scuglik Public Relations Intern Most people who start a vineyard have a taste for wine and look forward to sampling the fruits of their labor. But that’s not the case for Danny Wesch. Ever since Wesch let his son talk him into starting a vineyard back in 2008, he’s been tending the grapes without enjoying the reward. He leaves that up to his friends and family. “I’m still not much of wine drinker. I would rather have a cold beer. But my wife has developed a taste for it and our neighbors all like wine. The other day we had people over and they were all having a glass of wine and I was eating an ice cream drumstick,” Wesch said. Wesch grew up on a farm and raised hogs for 40 years with his dad and brother in Cayuga. But in 2008 they sold off their hogs, leaving them with unused gestation lots. Wesch’s son had the idea of turning those lots into a vineyard, and ever since then he’s been raising grapes along with corn and soy-
beans. “We got into a very labor intensive little project here. But its right here by my house and I take pride in what I do so I’m trying to make it the best vineyard that I can,” he said. “I just like to grow things. I’ve farmed all my life,” Wesch added. Wesch manages 3 acres of vineyard and grows eight varieties of wine grapes: Vignoles, Marquette, La Crescent, Corot noir, Frontenac, Cayuga white, Traminette and Steuben. Although Wesch’s vineyard is going on its sixth year, it’s been producing product for only 3 years. After grapevines are planted, they take three years to become established and start producing fruit. The vines start out as a stalked root. Wesch used a posthole digger on a tractor to drill deep holes in the ground and then planted each root individually. Once the roots are established, the vines will produce for up to 25 years. “There’s not much difference between grapes and other crops except that it’s more labor intensive to raise grapes,” Wesch said.
It takes three people to net the rows of grapes at Wesch’s vineyard: one person to drive the golf cart and two to make sure that the nets reach the ground on either side of the row. Photo by Taylor Scuglik
This year’s harsh winter damaged some of the grapevines at Wesch’s vineyard. This vine made it through unscathed and will be processed and bottled by TJ Haase Winery in Clinton, Ind., this fall. Photo by Taylor Scuglick
Danny Wesch demonstrates his homegrown grape netting technique. He customized his golf cart with a rig for the netting, which protects the grapes from hungry birds and deer. Photo by Rachel Schrage
Grapes hang on the vine, nearly ready for harvest, at Danny Wesch’s vineyard in Cayuga, Ind. Photo by Rachel Schrage
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Harvest season for grapes is Aug. 15 to Sept. 30. Once the grapes are ripe, Wesch recruits eight to 10 people to help him cut the bunches from the vine and store them in baskets. Then the winery comes the same day to pick up the grapes and process them. Wesch’s vineyard produced 7.5 tons of grapes last year. Wesch originally sold grapes to a winery in Illinois, but he’s recently partnered with a winery in Clinton run by Doug and Cathy Haase. The winery is called TJ Haase Winery and is set to open next year. “I thought it would be nice to have Vermillion County grapes sold in a Vermillion county winery,” Wesch said. The Haases will pick different varieties of grapes from Wesch’s vineyard to mix and match and create their own unique wines. “Normally what we do is ferment one variety of grape all the way through the process. And then you can experiment on blending two or
For updates on TJ Haase Winery, visit its Facebook page. three different kinds together until you get the taste that you like. And that’s the way you’ll mix it and blend it and bottle it,” Doug Haase said. As the vineyard continues to grow, so does Wesch’s knowledge of how to tend it. He went from looking up videos on YouTube to rigging his own netting device to protect the vines from birds. And as his knowledge grows, so does his enjoyment of the project. Maybe someday he’ll even develop a taste for wine. Editor’s note: Taylor Scuglik was the IFB public relation team’s intern this summer. As her final service to the PR team and The Hoosier Farmer, she wrote this feature article.
October 6, 2014
6
AROUND FARM BUREAU
Breakout details offered for state convention —By Mindy Reef Public Relations Team Priority issues, trends and tools are on the agenda for the IFB state convention’s breakout sessions. “The breakout sessions consistently rank as the most useful part of the convention when we survey members,” said Bob White, IFB’s retail ag business specialist. “By offering regular sessions and roundtables, members can choose whether to dig deep into issues or get an overview.” The first round of breakout sessions runs from 9 to 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 12. Three regular sessions will be offered during that time: “More Money for Government, More Problems for Farmers”; “Farm Bill Friday”; and “Data + Analysis = Rev-
enue.” During “More Money for Government, More Problems for Farmers,” the focus is on two priority issues, taxes and annexation. IFB has ideas to reduce the negative effects of both. In the first part of this session, attendees will hear about the need to let legislators know that farmland taxes are absorbing the profits from farming. The second part of the session explores the increase in forced annexations across the state. “Farm Bill Friday” covers the future for crop insurance and farm policy. Crop insurance is already under fire in Washington, with lawmakers discussing many changes. The session will end with an update on current farm bill issues. Data ownership and analysis are important to farmers.
Find out the latest news on the “big data” debate and AFBF policy from Matt Erickson, AFBF economist, during “Data + Analysis = Revenue.” Jim Love of Beck’s Hybrids will share that company’s plan to use UAV technology. The next breakout series, which runs from 2:30 to 4 p.m. on Friday, includes two regular sessions and the roundtables. During “H2O My!,” attendees will learn about Indiana’s water plan development, water quality and the state’s ideas to keep nutrients on your farm and not in the water. The second regular session, “Rock the Clock: Work/Life Balance,” will explore how to handle the duties and expectations everyone faces today. The roundtable discussions, named “Idea Depot” in honor of the convention’s
location and theme, also run from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Approximately 20 topics will be offered, including the farm economy, financing, communicating with elected officials and social media. Members will discuss the topic for their table for 25 minutes before moving to another table. Three rounds will take place. A listing of available topics will be online closer to the convention. A session for members
Annexation gets high profile at the Statehouse —By Katrina Hall Public Policy Team
Visit www.infb.org and look under the events menu or call 1-800-327-6287 (FARM-BUR) to learn more about the AFBF national convention, Jan. 11-14, 2015, in San Diego.
Discussion Meet sign up open —By Mindy Reef Public Relations Team Young farmers who want to compete in the Discussion Meet should sign up when they register for state convention. “Every young farmer should compete in the state Discussion Meet at least once,” said Meggie Foster, IFB Young Farmer and women’s program coordinator. “The Discussion Meet is designed to simulate a committee meeting. It’s not a debate, which makes the contest fun and pressurefree for all competitors. Fun, combined with Farm Bureau fellowship, good discourse on ag topics and a free hotel stay at one of the state’s most historic hotels – it’s a win-win for young farmers.” Discussion Meet judges evaluate participants on an exchange of ideas and information on a pre-determined topic. Participants build basic discussion skills and develop a keen understanding of important agricultural issues. They explore how groups can pool knowledge to reach consensus and solve problems. Successful participants are productive thinkers rather than emotional persuaders. An orientation for the contest will be held on Thursday, Dec. 11, at 8 p.m. in the French Lick Springs Hotel.
October 6, 2014
The first round takes place on Dec. 12 at 8 a.m. The second round is at 9:30 a.m. and the sweet 16 is at 2 p.m. The finals are on Saturday, Dec. 13, at 11:15 a.m. Rooms will be announced at convention. The potential questions contestants will address this year: How would the condition of government-managed public lands change if they were managed privately? What are the pros and cons of government ownership of land versus private ownership? Should farmers and ranchers be held liable for possible food-borne illnesses when the food item of concern can be traced back to their farms or ranches? Why or why not? The farm bill crop insurance provisions offer a safety net for crop loss due to natural disaster and/or price risk. Should a safety net for livestock producers be developed, and what provisions might it include? How can young farmers and ranchers work to encourage membership growth and member engagement for the county, state and national Farm Bureau organizations? How should our nation’s policies balance concerns about food insecurity against concerns about the safety or environmental impact of modern agricultural technologies? What role should farmers have
in discussing and debating these issues in our society and with our lawmakers? Contestants should prepare for all five questions, though only four will be used during the state contest. Resources to prepare for the contest are available on the IFB website under Programs – Young Farmer - Discussion Meet Resources, or by using the QR code found on this page. Contestants should register for the Discussion Meet when they register for state convention, conv.infb.org. IFB will reimburse all competitors for two nights at the French Lick Springs Hotel. The deadline to register for the Discussion Meet is Nov. 3. The first place winner receives a $4,000 cash prize from Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance and expenses paid to national convention in San Diego, Calif. The three runners-up receive a $1,000 cash prize from Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance.
who don’t attend the delegate session runs from 8:30 to 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 13. Jane Andrews, a nutritionist for Wegman’s, a supermarket on the East Coast, will talk about grocery label confusion during “Labels: More Than You Need to Know?” IFB state convention runs Dec. 12-13, 2014, at French Lick Resort. Keep reading the Hoosier Farmer and visit conv.infb.org for more information and to register.
The Indiana General Assembly’s Interim Study Committee on Government heard more testimony from landowners who have been victims of involuntary annexation, some of whom have had success in fighting annexation actions. The landowner message at the meeting, which was held Sept. 24, was consistent with that given by Indiana Farm Bureau at the committee’s previous meeting – give landowners a real voice in determining their own destiny. Testimony was provided by Bev Ramsey, who represented landowners in a portion of Boone County where an annexation by Whitestown was attempted. She and her neighbors recently received a favorable local court opinion stating that their existing government services were adequate and annexation was not needed. But fighting the annexation in court was not cheap and they were up against Whitestown, which spent over $200,000 fighting 28 landowners. These 28 landowners couldn’t vote for the officials attempting to drag their land into the town, the core of which is nearly 8 miles away from their property. Aside from representatives of the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns, all speakers stressed how the involuntary annexation process is so heavily weighted against landowners. Comments from the lobbyist for cities and towns and the attorney from the city of Greenwood focused on the needs of city government to plan their future out 25 years or more. But they didn’t address how the
interests and property rights of landowners, in particular farmland owners, would or could be held as a priority. Steve Buschmann, an attorney who specializes in annexations and who has represented multiple annexation remonstrators with funding from the Indiana Ag Law Foundation, provided a comprehensive look at annexation case law. This body of judicial decisions clearly shows how the court process within in the involuntary annexation law has completely overwritten the legislative reforms adopted in 1999. The deck is simply stacked against citizens. Even though late on Sept 25 the remonstrators to the Fortville annexation won their battle in Hancock Circuit Court, the involuntary annexation law still needs to be changed. Fortville has 30 days to appeal, which could cost remonstrators even more money. Indiana Farm Bureau submitted a long list of reforms for the committee and legislature to consider. The list includes completely removing the court process, making the remonstrance process centered on landowners, not voters, standardizing the petition remonstrance process, making the fiscal plan adopted by cities and towns more meaningful and in line with standards IFB fought for in the government merger law and finally, protecting ag land that is annexed from municipal taxes and oppressive ordinances as long as it is used or zoned for agriculture purposes. The study committee will adopt its recommendations during their next meeting on Oct. 22.
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7
AG INDUSTRY NEWS
Farmers at risk for significant hearing loss —Rachel Schrage Public Relations Team Hearing loss is something that can affect anyone and something everyone should be concerned about – but it is a problem that affects farmers in particularly large numbers. Farmers are second only to construction workers when it comes to on-the-job hearing loss. More specifically, many farmers are afflicted with noise-induced hearing loss, an irreversible form of hearing loss that cannot be corrected with hearing aids or
surgery. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration does not regulate farm noise, so it is up to the farmer to recognize when it is dangerously loud. “Hearing loss is slow and progressive; it’s permanent, but it’s totally preventable,” said Dawn Flinn, and Indianapolis-based audiologist. “Better hearing protection will help you keep the hearing you have for longer, and if worn on a daily basis, eliminate the potential for permanent hearing shifts.” In honor of National Auditory Awareness Month (which is October), here are
American Farm Bureau releases videos on big-data risks, rewards for farmers —From the AFBF Public Relations Team The American Farm Bureau Federation has released a series of short educational videos to help farmers and ranchers understand the rewards and risks of data-analysis technologies sweeping the agricultural landscape. “Modern data technology offers great benefits for America’s farmers and ranchers, but these new advantages don’t come without some risks,” AFBF President Bob Stallman said. From collecting weather data to analyzing nutrient applications and seed varieties, agricultural technology providers collect data that helps farmers increase efficiency and yield higher profits. But many questions remain unanswered regarding who owns and controls this information once it is
collected. Farm Bureau is leading the way in helping farmers get answers to these questions and secure their business data. Through a series of four new educational videos, Mary Kay Thatcher, senior director of congressional relations for AFBF, explains ownership of data, discusses key concerns for data use and provides guiding questions for farmers as they translate privacy agreements and terms-of-use contracts. “Farmers must understand the issues being raised now, before they sign an agreement with an ag tech provider,” Thatcher said. Ownership of data is often misunderstood, but this educational tool is an important introduction for farmers and ranchers considering signing on with ag tech providers. These videos are available at http://bit.ly/1sl1G88.
Collegiate Farm Bureaus begin fall activities —By Seth Harden Regional Manager The Collegiate Farm Bureau chapters at both Purdue University and Vincennes University are beginning the fall semester with new student leaders and fresh ideas. The student membership continues to grow and encompasses students from all over the state and nation. Vincennes and Purdue will both be holding their Collegiate Discussion Meets in November with opportunities for students to learn about issues in agriculture and a chance to win a $750 scholarship and all-expense
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paid trip to Nashville, Tenn., in 2015. Indiana Farm Bureau also awards $1,000 scholarships to current students in the fall. Applications are available on the Indiana Farm Bureau website and are due Nov. 30. Upcoming meetings will highlight ag law, career fair preparation, and many other topics to help student members develop as leaders and understand the importance of Indiana Farm Bureau for agriculture advocacy. Questions regarding IFB’s collegiate programs can be directed to Seth Harden at sharden@infb.org.
some useful things to know so you can protect your hearing on the farm: • If you have to shout over background noise to be heard, you could be damaging your hearing. • Tightly fitted earplugs and earmuffs are the most effective hearing protection – putting cotton in your
ears does not protect your inner ear from damage. • Buzzing or ringing in the ears and feeling like people mumble are all signs of hearing loss. Along with protecting your hearing, Flinn says it is equally important to pay attention to any changes in your hearing. “Get your
hearing tested. Understand how you hear today, wear better hearing protection, and monitor for changes in your hearing annually,” she said. Check The Hoosier Farmer online at www.thehoosierfarmer.org for more resources on this important topic.
OSHA Permissible Noise Exposures Duration per day (hours)
Sound level (dB)
8
90
6
92
4
95
3
97
2
100
1.5
102
1
105
½ (30 minutes)
110
¼ (15 minutes)
115
Typical Sound Levels Sound Levels (dB) 50-60
Normal conversation
74-112
Tractor
77-120
Chainsaw
80-105
Combine
81-102
Grain dryer
85-115
Pig squeals
93-97
Grain grinding
140
Shotgun
American Agri-Women to kick off 40th anniversary at national convention in Ohio American Agri-Women (AAW) will kick off a yearlong 40th anniversary celebration at its annual convention held this year at Hueston Woods Lodge & Convention Center, College Corner, Ohio, Nov. 6-8. The Ohio Agri-Women affiliate is hosting this year’s convention. The theme is “Bridging the Path from Farm to Fork.” The organization had its first coalition meeting in 1974 and its chartering meeting in 1975, both in Milwaukee. Since then, AAW has grown to become the nation’s largest coalition of farm, ranch and agribusiness women representing more than 50 state, commodity and agribusiness affiliates. The event will include business meetings, officer elections, tours and an awards ceremony. Speakers include: Purdue University associate professor and extension specialist Corrine Alexander. Alexander will discuss grain marketing and storage strate-
gies in both commodity and specialty markets. Larry Gearhardt, Ohio State University assistant professor, extension specialist and director of the Ohio State University Tax Schools. Gearhardt will present on the topic “Should I Buy That Tractor?” Kristin Reese, realtor, owner of the catering company Local Flavor Foods, and part of a family Christmas tree farm. She will explain how she uses social media and other ways to share messages about locally grown food and her role in feeding the role. Julie Borlaug, assistant director of Partnerships for the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture at Texas A&M, and granddaughter of the late Dr. Norman E. Borlaug. Borlaug was a biologist, humanitarian and Nobel laureate who has been called “The Father of the Green Revolution.” Julie Borlaug will discuss how she builds partnerships to expand upon his mission
to feed the world’s hungry. Download AAW’s latest newsletter to view the agenda, tour information and registration form. Online registration is available. If you have questions, please contact the convention co-chairs, Jane Marshall (citizenjane@me.com) or Rachael Vonderhaar (farmeral3@gmail.com). Hotel reservations should be made directly with Hueston Woods Lodge, 513-664-3500. American Agri-Women promotes national security through a safe and reliable food, fiber and mineral supply. Since 1974, AAW members have worked together to educate consumers; advocate for agriculture; and offer networking and professional development opportunities. Go to the AAW web site for more information and to join, www. americanagriwomen.org. Find AAW on social media at: Facebook.com/AgriWomen/ and Twitter.com/Women4Ag/ (@Women4Ag).
October 6, 2014
8
COMMUNICATIONS
Farmers helping farmers: It is a big deal —By Andy Dietrick Public Relations Team A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to experience something that most people outside of agriculture rarely see or hear about: Farmers helping farmers. I’m sure it’s an old story, as old as agriculture itself. And I’m sure it happens every day, on some farm somewhere. But the unselfish actions of farmers who willingly lend a hand to a farmer in need never seem to trend on Twitter, light up the blogosphere or make the top story on the evening news. Sometimes you have to work at getting such a story into the local newspaper. Not because they wouldn’t run it, but because those involved don’t view what they are doing as particularly newsworthy. Well I do. Farmers helping farmers is newsworthy. For those who help, it’s never a big deal – it’s just what farmers do. For the recipient, however, it is a big deal. The assistance offered, usually without asking, means a lot. And to the non-ag world, it’s a snapshot of how much farmers truly care – about their neighbors, and by extension, their land, animals, crops and community.
Keith and Priscilla Schuman live and farm just outside of Larwill, Ind., about 7 miles west of Columbia City on U.S. 30. In the short time I had to chat with Keith on that sunny Saturday morning, I learned a number of things. He started his ag career many years ago in computer sciences at Purdue, developing swine feed programs with software that used punch cards as media and a programming language as archaic as Latin. He loves the land on which he farms and can recite the lengthy litany of family transactions that lets him live there today.
He was the Whitley County Farm Bureau public relations coordinator, and truly enjoyed sharing farmer stories and agricultural issues with media in the area. I also learned that just about a year ago, on Thanksgiving Day, Keith Schuman suffered a stroke, and his life hasn’t been the same since. According to his friends, Keith’s recovery has been remarkable. But it’s not complete. Not yet. And that’s why a dozen young and not-so-young farmers were on hand in Whitley County that day: to help Keith, Priscilla and the kids tidy up the farm, clean out the barn, rebuild the haymow and bring in some alfalfa. To do those routine farm and livestock chores that Keith, confined to a wheelchair, is not yet able to do himself. By noon that day, with the help of willing hands, a couple of Bobcats and an old farm wagon, the Schuman farm was already taking shape. A county Farm Bureau president was whacking weeds, Farm Bureau regional managers were hauling out old hog scales, a Farm Bureau district director was offloading his machinery, and Farm Bureau young farmers were methodically
Keith and Priscilla Schuman are farmers and Farm Bureau members in Whitley County. Photo by Andy Dietrick
putting things in order. No fuss, just a job to do. The Farm Bureau way. As I was leaving, I stopped by the back walk where Keith, in his wheelchair, was overseeing the activity in his barnyard. I had one last question for him. A hard one. How does this act of giving on the part of your friends and neighbors make you feel? He paused for a long moment. “Good. Really good,” he said. “And thankful.”
Silence, then a quiet sob and a single tear reflected the noonday sun. “I am humbled,” he said. “And so very blessed.” Farmers helping farmers may be an everyday thing in the ag world, something taken for granted. But it means a lot to those who need a helping hand every now and then, and gives the non-farm public one more reason for respecting and trusting farmers. Don’t be afraid to share the stories. They are powerful.
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Some of the more than 25 farmers who showed up to help Keith and Priscilla clean up the farm take a quick break from their morning chores. Photo by Andy Dietrick
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